Shore of Stones
by ThegaFang
Summary: Rowan's a dark mage who joined the Ylissean army on a whim. However, his inability to forgive and inane propensity for violence forces him into biting off more than he can chew. (Warning: Very dialogue-heavy.)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter I

"Assuming my calculations are correct, while it's a wide assumption to be made that they could be... Frederick, we simply have to make a detour at this path just ahead."

Frederick, collecting pebbles ahead of the march, had been tailed by Miriel. "We can't afford to make any stops, I'm afraid. We have higher priorities than random trips into the forest."

"Frederick! Consider this: down here leads to the residence of one of the most superb wizards to grace these lands! Rowan Giovich; surely you have been blessed with the knowledge of his parade! The man evokes spells more powerful than any you'd ever witness - without the burden of a tome! And must I mention the scientific advances he has made? I could not bear the mentality accompanying forsaking such an opportunity!"

"He's good with spells? We could always use more like that... What's the likelihood he would welcome us?"

She pondered the thought a moment. "Considering Rowan is Plegian born and has since been expelled from those lands, I wager it would be more than likely to be worth stepping in. A problematic experience concerning his homeland should lean him in our chance he would massacre our entire army is slim enough."

"Massacre. Just what I like to hear." He kicked another pebble off the road. "I'll speak with Master Chrom."

"No need, Frederick. I heard it all. Miriel wouldn't lead us into a death trap, and it sounds like would could use this 'Master' Sorcerer's help. A quick stop couldn't hurt." Chrom gave a him a hearty grin as he patted Miriel's tall shoulder. Frederick began to rally up the army.

Pulling Miriel aside, he whispered, "Aren't sorcerers usually... Evil in nature?"

"Positively. However, it has become more devoted to the sake of using a non-conventional magic art rather than causing harm."

"Tharja's a perfect example of that, isn't she? Henry too... Not a malicious thought in their minds."

"I realise that this is solely to spend more time with Lucina. I am gracious nonetheless."

"Heh... You can read me like a book."

"I do tend to practice that an awful lot."

"Ricken's playful side sure has started rubbing off on you. It's kinda nice."

She disregarded that comment. She picked up her pace to make it to the front of the group, eager to make contact. The home before them was slender yet tall, and built of bricks. There was a foreboding aura about it, one that'd made the wary traveler stay clear of it. The front door was wide open. One could see down the main hall through it - an empty hall leading up to nothing but a vast library cascaded in hearthfire.

Hardly anyone entered. Miriel, Tharja, and Henry were a given after she briefed over the situation to the group. Lon'qu agreed to after mumbling something about "how he could be so powerful." Federick also joined them. Chrom himself opted to stay outside, which persuaded most the group to do the same. The five made their way inside, careful not to touch anything.

"I wasn't expecting visitors, let alone a party of this size," voiced a bright, mellow tenor. His skin was severely pale with dark features. His hair was but a mangy mess utop his head, and his eyes held deep frustration and pain. His clothing was dark with many draping aspects. He glanced up from his novel for only a second, and a unexpectedly friendly smile flashed up his visage. "Henry."

Everyone in the group glared at him. "You know him?" Frederick mouthed. Miriel did a similar thing, though there were too many syllables to make out any of the words.

"Wait... You're that Rowan? Dude! I thought I killed you!"

Rowan's smile vanished. "I fear not. Why are you here?"

Frederick perked up. "We are members of the Ylissean army. The continent of Valm has waged war on our allies, the Feroxi. Miriel here - the redhead - mentioned how honored she would be to make your acquaintance. She explained what an immensely powerful conjurer you are, thus our captain decided it was worth coming here."

"I see. How's the war with Plegia?"

"Sire, the war ended two years ago! We were the victors."

"Fantastic." He said nothing else. He simply sat there smiling, exchanging eye contact with each of them - minus Henry. The silence was terribly awkward. "I take it you've had to deal with the undead?"

"Yeah! We call them Risen, and dude! They're so fun to rip apart!"

"I've yet to combat them. Never had the reason to do so... You haven't changed a bit, Henry," Rowan added.

"Neither have you, you sourpuss! You need to get out more!"

Rowan scoffed. "Why are you three so quiet? Tell me something about yourself. You start, Mr. 'Strong and Silent'."

Lon'qu cleared his throat. "I'm a former champion of Regna Ferox. The previously reigning Kahn had me join Chrom's army. That's it. I only stepped in to see if you were as powerful as Miriel said you were."

"You'll see. I promise you. Miriel?"

She began on some wild tirade. Words that shouldn't even exist were being spewed forth. Before she even finished her first sentence of what seem to be a useless, everlasting biography, Rowan hushed her. "Next."

Tharja immediately looked away, acting as if he were addressing someone else. He prompted her to begin several more times without yield.

"Hmph. Very well." He firmly grabbed her by the waist as he pulled her outside. "Remember when I mentioned Risen? I'll give you a reason to be intimidated by me. Come, come!" he ushered the others. Henry blurted out some comment along the lines of "It's been forever since I've seen this! It'll be awesome!"

Rowan cringed when he enter the light. A thin, violet strand of electricity danced across his neck for a second. The whole army stared at him. He disregarded all the attention, fixed on a certain path. He led them off into the forest some few hundred feet.

"Why are we here?" Lon'qu grunted.

"Have patience. You can see it in but a few seconds."

Lo and behold, a Risen army was charging straight at them. "Stay your defences," he whispered before they could react. Tharja desperately tried to escape his grasp to no avail. He grabbed her harder, her back pressed up to his chest. "You're watching this even if the others don't." She continued to struggle.

"Don't worry, Ro-Ro! I'm watching!"

"I forget how much I couldn't stand you, Henry. Now... Let's hope I remember how to do this."

"What?! Like hell I'm dying in the arms of a stranger!" She squirmed more and more. She yelped as the Risen were now but an arm's length away. A devious smile grew across his face. How he missed hearing the screams of others.

Everything went white. The five all screamed at once, although none of them could hear each other. A deafening, high-pitched noise flooded their senses. Although the light quickly faded, none of them could see for a great while. First recognizable action to happen next was Henry's uncontrolled laughter. "That's so much better than I remember!"

"You can open your eyes now, Princess."

Tharja did just that. The Risen were gone. The surrounding land was burnt and desolate. Rowan's eyes glowed a vicious aubergine, and the same bolts from earlier jumped all over him: in his hair, his mouth, his arms. One leaped over to her, giving her a nasty shock. She yelped and jumped out of his grasp. "What was that?"

"What just happened?! Are you alright?!" It was Chrom, hastily approaching with Falcion drawn.

"To vanquish an entire league of Risen with but the immense capacity and potential of the mind! Fascinating. Bewildering, yet... cripplingly fascinating."

"Master Chrom... This man, Rowan... destroyed an entire Risen army in a blink of an eye." "And... It was AWESOME!"

"How is that even possible?" Chrom asked himself. "Rowan, if that's true, then it'd be my honor to have you join our cause."

He smiled. It was the sort of near-insincere smile Henry always had. "As long as I get to harrass this one some more, count me in."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II

Life in camp had met little of Rowan's standards. Chrom tried his best to include Rowan in all camp activities. He showed him the ropes of taking inventory, managing equipment, preparing dinner, and other topics of the like. He had him meet everyone and introduce himself.

And Rowan dreaded every bit of it.

Course, that was the best of it. Frederick - or "Freddy," as he had taken a liking to calling him - was all over him. "Train with her!" "Show him how you do that!" Ugh. Need he reiterate that he's not here to teach people his secrets? It's not as if the subject had crossed their conversations several times.

Today was an especially bad day. Frederick wanted him to train with Miriel, of all people. Her continuing questions and incomprehensible, inconvenient style of communication gave him migraines.

Everyone nearby stopped what they were doing to watch the two spar. It happened every time. "You could all use watching this! You never know what you might learn! It could save you in the next battle!" Freddy cried out.

Rowan sat down in the middle of the grassy plain walled out by a mass of flesh. "Do your worst," he said, as apathetic and bored as ever.

Miriel showed no mercy. Elwind, Arcfire... She tried each tome in her arsenal. Just as the spells would hit him, they were dispelled by lightning bolts. Occasionally these would carry on through the grass. Some would try to make their way to the crowd. Others zipped past the mage or jumped back at Rowan.

"I worry about Rowan training like this. It just isn't right." Henry voiced.

"And why's that?" Chrom inquired. He traded places with Cherche to talk to the Dark Mage.

"He can't actually control his powers. It responds to his emotions, so if he gets distracted or feels threatened, it'll go haywire."

"What? Why? How do you know this? Did he tell you?"  
"See... He's my cousin. His mother and mine both got pregnant at the same time, roughly. So that's why we're the same age. I was planned, of course! Him... not so much. His father was just about to abandon his mother, actually. But he didn't have the heart to leave a child. So he thought... 'If I kill his mother, I won't have that guilt!' Not sure if I agree with that reasoning... But he drew up a lightning tome and tried to dispose of her... She died, and it was off in a barn where no one would find her 'til morning. Apparently some goat came around and realized there was something still living... And her mother instincts kicked in! She ripped open his mother, and ta-dah! Rowan was born. His midwife was a goat! Isn't that hilarious?! Course, he killed her seconds after. Anyway, the magic lingered on in him for some reason. That's how he slaughtered his poor savior! But it became a part of him, a part of his parents' frustration, still burning bright. It's like an alternate personality. He can't always tell when it's going to come out. Sometimes he can make it work, but other times it explodes and there's nothing he can do. It's part of the reason he lived alone for so long. He didn't want to hurt anyone. Other part is cause I went on a rampage and tried to kill everyone in the village, but that's another story!"

Chrom waited for a second to make sure he was done. "I'm not sure if I should believe a single word you just told me."

"But it's true, I swear on it! Rip me limb for limb and feed me to the pigs if I'm lying! Or you could push splinters under my fingernails and burn them, your choice! I'll even prove it to you, okay? Watch this!" He stepped forward slightly, sidestepping another jolt. "Hey Rowan! Guess what! I told Chrom about the goat!"  
He immediately turned his attention, glaring at Henry. As he did this, his defences went out of control. They jumped out at Miriel, connecting with her fingertips, spreading all the way up to her neck. Her scream was heartbreaking, with how much pain she was evidently undergoing. "Miriel! I didn't mean to, I swear!" Lissa ran to her side to heal up what she could, and Libra pushed him away before joining Lissa. "I don't know what kind of joke you thought that was," he said. "Leave before you get yourself in a worse situation."

Disregarding Libra's words, he stood by the assess the damage. There were several patches of skin that had been burnt to a crisp. Everywhere else his magic touched left it bright red and already blistering. Gods, did he feel terrible. He finally left after he met Libra's furious eyes once more.

Rowan kept his head down. He forgot how much he could really hurt someone. Unfortunately, the only place to give him any sort of solace was his hut, yet that's the last place he wanted to be. He wanted to make sure she was okay, but his now villainous reputation wouldn't allow that.

"What's with the tail between your legs, Rowan? Something happen?"

Robin, of course. The admirable tactician everyone loved without knowing why. The guy whom everyone could agree with. It wasn't fair. And, of course, he had Tharja on his arm every minute of every day. He could never see what she saw in him.

"I hurt her," he whimpered.

"Sorry... I didn't quite catch that. Could you repeat that?"

"Gods, I feel terrible. I didn't mean to... It was an accident..."

"Don't waste your time on him, Love. Leave this muttering fool and we'll just see for ourselves."

"Geez, Tharja. You can be pretty cold sometimes! Let him finish."

"He doesn't even want to talk to you. He hates your guts."

Rowan looked up just to communicate his level of agitation towards Tharja for that comment. "I was sparring with Miriel, and got distracted. It's really bad. Really, really, bad. Even Libra was furious. I just worry it'll get infected or something like that. That'd put her at viable cause to die... Gods, I couldn't let that happen again. Not again. Tell me how she is, please. I need to be alone."

Again? Robin thought... That would explain his years in solitude... But why? "Alright. I promise you our healers will do everything in their power to make her better."

"Thank you." Rowan sped off on his way.

"Believe it or not," Tharja whispered into his neck, "he really does despise you. I never thought he'd be the actor type. What a ruse that was!"

"Peace, Tharja. I'm sure he's just having a hard time adjusting to the lifestyle. Whatever happened must've really bothered him and made him release a different kind of stress."

"Sure..."

They were now at the mostly-dispersed crowd. "What happened, Chrom?"

"See for yourself," he replied, pointing at the mass of healers.

"I can't do this!" Lissa squealed. "Libra, you do it!"

"We've already been over this! I have to keep her down, and Maribelle's too squeamish to do it."

"I'm no better than her, then! Oh, Robin! Come here! You can do it!" Lissa grabbed his hand and pulled him over.

The sight was horrifying. "We need you to pull off this burnt skin and pop these blisters so we can bandage her up and start the healing process."

"Can't you do that with magic?!"

"You think we haven't tried that?! Something about Rowan's attack made her immune to healing spells!"

"What did he do?"

"He got bored," Libra criticized. "Sent off some super-charged attack meant for torture. I don't think I've seen anything more cruel."

"He said it was an accident though... I just saw him running off to his hut!" Though he was shaking uncontrollably, he got to work. "I'll just watch from a distance...," Tharja grumbled before approaching Henry.

"I'd hate to see the curses that kid could pull off... Though I'd love to at the same time."

"He's actually not that big on curses. Not much of a Sorcerer, either. He's actually got a good heart. The violent nature of his gift makes people label him as evil. Looked like he wanted to kill himself when he realized what he did."

"Why'd he do it? Aren't we suppose to... Oh, I don't know, protect each other?"

"It's kind of my fault. I wanted to prove to Chrom that he really can't control it, but hey... What's done is done!"

"You truly are a sadistic little beast. I'm surprised you're not over there fawning over all the blood."

"Hey, that's medical condition! How sadistic I am has nothing to do with it! Besides, you're no cherry pie either."

"Never said I was. All I'm saying is I'm not sure if it's a good idea having someone like that around. What if he were to hurt Robin?"

"You're so predictable! 'Robin' this, 'Robin' that. It's not like you two are even dating or anything. He probably just agrees to let you crawl all over him cause he's afraid you'll curse him."

"Or I'll have to curse you for saying something like that."

"Ooh, are you starting a duel with me?! This'll be fun!"

"Not what I meant. You're not worth the reagents."

"Even for a friendly competition? Geez, you are NO FUN!"

"Sorry I'm not catering my life to you."

"Didn't ask you to! ...You bored? I sure am! Let's go for a walk in the forest and explode birds for a bit!"

"Fine. Couldn't hurt. It better be important, though."

"That's the spirit! There's something I wanted to talk to you about, anyway. It'll be easier without the chance of everyone overhearing it."

"What is it?"

"We're not far enough. Actually, this pond's nice! And there are tiny fish in it! Let's make their eyes bleed!"

The two sat down. Henry pulled out an herb from his pouch and dropped it on the water's surface. Instantly the fish entered a frenzy and began attacking one another.

"Kya-ha! That's awesome!"

"Heh. I guess so. What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Well...," he got choked up. This never happened, not to Henry. He cleared his throat and his eyes cleared up. "What do you think of Rowan? What do you actually think of him?"  
"He's bothersome. And he's always giving Robin these dirty looks..."

"Leave Robin out of this. What do you honestly think of him?"

"He's... irritating and cocky, as well as overly emotional. I realize he's been without human contact for a long time, but still..."

"I've tried to kill him twice. Once was when we were little a this man killed my best friend. Course, I killed just about everyone in town. Second time... He was wanted by the Plegian government. They deemed him too dangerous to live. Do you remember? That man who ripped an entire crowd apart?"

"I do actually. Guards checked every house to see if anyone knew anything."

"Yep. Since I'm related to him, they asked me to track him down. Found him walled up in some cave. He looked Hell, let me tell you. It was kind of funny, actually. But he told me a lot. Made me feel bad for him. See, once upon a time, he had a lady friend. Her name was Scarlet, and she could whip out curses like nobody's business. She was contracted to dispose of him, and they ended up hitting it off. Not sure how that happens! 'I'm here to kill you! But you're actually pretty cool. I wouldn't mind spending the rest of my life with you!' Eh-he... Well, well. Day before their wedding, when they were out picking up the ring they had this man forge, some stranger tried to pickpocket them. Rowan lost it, and KA-BOOM! Lightning everywhere. Everyone died. The end. Lost his beloved Scarlet. So sad."

"Does this story have a point?"

"Yeah. I met her once, though I never realized they were together until he told me. That day he asked me to end his life because he couldn't deal with the burden, and he couldn't kill himself because his lightning kept guarding him. I'll tell you what I told Chrom - basically, the lightning is his mother still living inside him. She was never there for him, so she keeps him alive that way. Kind of confusing, but yeah. He asked me to end him, and I did my worst! His mama must really want him to live. That's why he's still breathing today! But he has this weird fixation with hurting people now."

"Are you almost done?"

"Fine, fine. I'll cut it short. Chance are he'll want to get close to you. Real close. Cause... You act a LOT like Scarlet did."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter III

Two days had passed. No one spoke to Rowan with the exception of Robin and Henry. Frederick only spoke up when he had tasks to assign to him. Otherwise, everyone was afraid they'd become his next... "victim".

Kitchen duties had been scheduled to fall on Miriel, though with her only having a single functioning arm, it seemed only logical to have Rowan assist her. Or, at least, it seemed more beneficial to guilt trip him rather than completely throw the schedule off.

"Sorry I'm late," he said as stepped in. She had already laid out everything she would be using.

"No, you're perfectly punctual. I was merely early. Come, you can help by igniting the source."

"Okay. What are we making?"

"Chicken stew."

Damn. Was she really so upset with him? It wasn't like her to talk so little. Course, she had every reason to be furious. His eyes traced the bandaged areas of her body.

"I'm so sorry."  
"It was a predictable outcome at best. One couldn't expect you to sit there without a single front against me. It was my own fault for not being more readily prepared for it."  
"Gods, don't say that. It only happened because I'm a dumbass who can't control their abilities. Freddy wants me to get back out there to regain a handle on them, but I can't bring myself to. The thought of hurting anyone else scares me. The memory that I hurt you kills me. All I ask is that you might forgive me!"

"I now thoroughly believe the only impossibility in this world is you understanding it's not entirely your fault and neither should you be begging for forgiveness."

"Ouch. That doesn't change how I feel at all, though."  
"Fair enough."  
"I know you're upset with me! Don't kid yourself!"

"How humorous." She turned away from him.

"This isn't some joke, Miriel! I know if you weren't mad you'd be talking about your newest hypothesis or something! I can tell there's a lot of frustration in there! Just let it out so the both of us can feel better!"

"No positive result can be derived as the outcome to negativity... Unless we are speaking mathematics, of course."  
"This isn't some science experiment! This is the human psyche, the only thing that can't be explained... You'd feel better if you'd yell at me! I'd feel better if you'd just do it!"

"Let us prolong this topic no longer."

Rowan grumbled as he threw the chicken in the pot of boiling water. He got to work cutting up vegetables. "Are you and Ricken still a 'thing'?"

"I cannot say I understand your inquiry."

"Sure you do."  
"Hmph. Very well. I have yet to communicate with him subsequently to the incident."

"Why not?"

"I'm afraid I do not have an answer to that."  
"I've seen the way he looks at you. It's an awfully endearing stare. He looks so heartbroken when you don't return it."  
"You have absolutely no grounds for such meddling."

"I'm not meddling. Simply observing."

"Of course. You, the observational type."  
"Ouch! I wouldn't lie to you. Cross my heart. I lived away from society for many years. Do you really think I'm the type to crave drama?"

"Precisely. Why did you bring such a subject up?"

"I heard from - through the grapevine... that you blew up in his face. Just making sure it wasn't true. If it were, I'd feel bad because I'm the one you should be angry at."  
"And if it just so happened to be truthful? What sort of incident would arise?"

"I'd apologize to the poor kid. I know what it's like to be framed for something you didn't do, but end up taking every bit of blame there is. Not that my story matters. But seeing your favorite, precious, little smile turn sour on you... It hurts."

"What a tragic, sentimental tongue you have. It cannot get you far. I assure you, Ricken and I are in no relationship other than the one two comrades share."

"I see. But was there anything, ever?"

"Perhaps at one point in time, but no longer. I cannot say for certain as there was no official proclamation."  
"Why'd you cut it off?" He added barley and vegetables to the stock.

Miriel finally mustered the confidence to look him in the eyes. It was a strange look, one that seemed to be both concerned and approving at the same time. An internal conflict visibly stirred inside her gaze.

"What?" he asked.

She forced her head away. "Nothing."

He swallowed, throwing some carrots in the pot. "Sometimes I forget you're human. Then it seems like there are... moments when you come back to our world. It's weird."

"Thank you. I'm explicitly insulted."

"I didn't mean it in a bad way. It gives you character."

"I shall pretend that makes sunshine of the situation. To think I once graced you as intellectually superior..."

"Yeah... I'm no genius. I did spend a lot of time in study, but it made no difference. Necromancy isn't real. It doesn't work. Took me till a couple months ago to finally let that fact settle."

"Necromancy? What a peculiar subject..."  
"There's someone I wanted to bring back to life. She's gone, though. There's nothing that can be done. No big deal. It was time to move on long ago."

"Hmph. What a shame."

"I guess."

"AHA! Rowan, I have been looking for you high and low! What sort of disrespectful ingrate leaves a noble waiting for him?! Come now, quit your frivolous socializing! We have lost time to make up for!"  
"Maribelle? Frederick made me come here."  
"Why? He knew of our engagement! I especially told him we were meeting for tea at this time and to clear up any of your responsibilities! What could possibly be so important?!"

"Miriel was set up for kitchen duty. He had me help her out."  
"Oh, sure! Because that's so important!"

"It's a whole hell of a lot more important than discussing rumors."

"But who else will I share with?! Chrom took Lissa for 'family matters' and, well... No one else is willing to listen!"  
"Gods, are you an imprudent one," Miriel commented.

"Hold your tongue, scholar! It's your fault everyone despises poor Rowan here!"

"You do realize I'm the guilty party here, right?"  
"You hush up too! Agh, everyone here is so disrespectful!"  
"Maribelle, hun, you should really leave. I'll talk to you later."

"But!"  
"Go."  
"AGH! Fine! Turn away the one person who still respects you!" She tromped out like a small child sent to their room during a tantrum.

Rowan gave a heavy sigh of relief. Gods, was she annoying.

"What an irksome individual. Her and I are most likely on the same level with you, however."

"Don't kid yourself. You're far more pleasant than she is."  
"I find that difficult to ascertain."

"Why? Are you discontented with yourself?"

"No."  
"Then why do you think that?"

"Fabricate the idea this branch of conversation never began."

Rowan smiled, although he was still upset with both Miriel and himself... However, for this small moment in time, he was content.


End file.
